It Only Took Three Days
by MysticMajesties01
Summary: Ashlinn Lily Potter goes to Snape for help on a potion that takes three days to brew. But what can blossom in such a short time? A romance of course! Will Ashlinn and Snape be able to be together? And why is Slughorn acting so weird? Set in sixth year. LONGER! UPDATED! Orig. Title THREE DAYS
1. First Day

SURPRISE! This little plot bunny became a story in my head with fluffiness and a perverted Slughorn! I know I've been gone for a while but I've been working on original stories and songs and just following my artistic dream in general. I'll try to update more but no promises. Anyway I hope you guys enjoy this NEW version of my story!

XXXXX

It was 5:00 PM, and Ashlinn Lily Potter looked at the piece of parchment that had the process of brewing a very complicated potion on it. But even if she was as smart as Hermione (maybe not as eager) she knew she could not brew this without help. It would take seventy-eight hours straight and she would need her sleep. Thank goodness it was Christmas holiday and she had the time. Asking Hermione for the help would normally be an option, but seeing as she was at home with her parents for the holiday, she would have to ask someone just as smart, so that automatically excluded Harry and Ron as well.

Ashlinn's first thought was going to the current Potions Master, Professor Slughorn, for help. But then someone else came to mind, someone who had much more experience being a Potions Master, and who seemed to take brewing potions much more seriously, Professor Snape. Unlike most students, she did not cringe at the thought of his name. And not only did she bear in mind that and his potions experience, but also the fact that Professor Slughorn was endlessly talking, mostly about how she reminded him so much of his former student, Lily Evans, who also happened to be her mother along with Harry Potter's. Harry had taken his looks mostly after there father save the eyes, but Ashlinn resembled her mother in such a way that, if she hadn't had James' nose and that mix of very dark brown with her already deep red hair, people might have mistaken that Lily Evans had somehow, miraculously, come back from the dead. Yes, she definitely preferred quiet when brewing a potion. And Snape was definitely not a talkative kind of person.

That and the fact that the look in Slughorn's eyes when he looked at Lily's picture, than at her, made her extremely uncomfortable. So it was decided, Snape it was. Ashlinn got up off of the armchair in the Gryffindor Common Room and walked out of the portrait hole, ignoring Harry and Ron's questioning of her destination, and hurried to the dungeons, where the new Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom was.

As she walked she happened to pass by none other than the current Potions Master himself.

"Hello, Miss Potter", Slughorn said in that cheerful voice of his, "Might I ask where you are going in such a hurry?" Ashlinn knew she couldn't tell the truth. He would undoubtedly ask why she hadn't gone to him for help instead, and she did not want to tell him her reasoning.

"I seem to be having trouble performing a defensive spell, so I am going to Professor Snape's classroom," she said. Slughorn gasped jokingly.

"Ashlinn Potter, flesh and blood of Lily Evans, has trouble in a class? Never!"

There he went, comparing her to her mother again, and there went that look in his eyes that made Ashlinn want to run from him right then and there, but she kept her composure.

"Well, I really must be going now, Professor, nice to see you," she said.

"And a pleasure to see you to, my dear," boomed Slughorn, "Feel free to come by anytime during the holiday if you may need potions advice."

"Thank you for the offer, sir," Ashlinn said as they continued their separate ways, she could have sworn that he glanced back, but she paid no mind. She continued to walk until she reached the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. She entered the classroom and went to the back of the room where Snape's office was. She knocked on the wooden door, very much hoping that Snape would be there.

"Enter", the silky voice said from behind the door, much to her relief. She opened the door and stepped in. The office was, not to her surprise, lined with potions ingredients. He was grading (failing) essays as she had seen him do so many times before. After he had written a low score on the essay he was currently grading, he dropped his quill back into its ink bottle and looked at her, his eyebrow raising and the slightest sneer forming on his face.

"What is it, Miss Potter," he asked in his usual sneering voice.

"Sir, I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you," she said. His eyebrow rose.

"And what might that favor be, Miss Potter?"

"Well, you see, I was looking over a process to brew a very complicated potion. But the thing is, it takes very long to brew, and I need some help. I was wondering if you were willing to help me with this potion," she said. His eyebrow rose even higher, higher than Ashlinn thought possible.

"Might I ask why you didn't go to Professor Slughorn for this particular task?" he asked, sneering.

"Well…you see.."

"Spit it out, girl!" Ashlinn jumped slightly at his sudden sharpness.

"Well, to be honest, Professor Slughorn, though he is a good teacher, he spends most of his time talking about how much I remind him of my mother, and by now I get the message. I often wonder if he forgets that I am not my mother."

"While I do not dwell on it, Miss Potter, I must agree with Slughorn. You do look very much like your mother," Snape said, crossing his arms and smirking at the shocked expression Ashlinn couldn't help but let plaster itself on her face.

"You…knew my mum?" she asked. Snape rolled his eyes.

"You may remember that Remus and Sirius knew Lily Evans while they went to school here, Miss Potter," he said, putting unnecessary venom into the names, "And you may remember certain memories of mine that you saw of me in school, where I was in the same year as them, and I happened to know your mother as well." He leaned back in his chair, clearly done talking about the subject. Ashlinn remembered guiltily how she had tried to stop Harry from going into the Pensieve, but he grabbed on to her arm before he dove, and she had been forced to follow. Snape spoke again.

"Might I ask the purpose of this potion you are asking for help on?"

Ashlinn had almost forgotten about the potion. She was more focused on her shock that Snape had known her mother. But she quickly regained her composure.

"Yes, sir," she said as she took out the parchment baring the process of making the potion, "This potion is meant to help relieve stress without the effects of a drug. It works well with meditation as it is meant to help one concentrate on relaxing thoughts."

"Ah yes, the Relaxation Aid potion, or as most dunderheads would call it, Meditation in a Bottle. Why do you need such a potion, Miss Potter?" he asked his sneer replaced by a thoughtful look that Ashlinn had never seen.

"It's Harry, sir. He is snapping more than usual and I thought this might help him. I think it may be the extra homework along with…Sirius" She had barely spoken her godfather's name since his untimely death, but she was able to handle the stress a little more than Harry, due to her daily meditation. Harry was stubborn and refused to meditate with her, but he could at least take the potion. Snape sighed.

"Are you aware that this particular potion takes three days straight to brew, Miss Potter?"

"Yes, sir."

"Am I correct to assume that you are asking for help purely because of the length of time rather than your actual potion making abilities?"

"…Yes, sir." Snape sighed again, leaning back in his chair and seeming to consider it. Finally, he spoke.

"Very well. I will help you with this potion."

XXXXX

Miss Potter smiled a great smile, her green eyes, _Lily's _green eyes, twinkling. Snape's heart lurched. Though he did not verbally announce it, he was very reminded of Lily's compassion and loving character when he saw Miss Potter. Lily had definitely passed her love to her daughter.

XXXXX

Ashlinn practically jumped up and down in excitement. Snape had actually agreed to help her. She could finally help Harry. but she kept her composure though her smile still remained on her face.

"What time shall we begin, sir?" she asked.

"Tomorrow at 6:00 AM. You can brew it during the day with my help and I will take over at nights," he said.

"But sir, don't you need sleep?"

"I will have you know that I have stayed up for a week straight before and not felt the slightest bit tired, Miss Potter, and I am willing to sacrifice three days as that will be as long as it takes to grade these essays anyway," he said sarcastically. Ashlinn could have hugged him, despite what anyone would think.

"Now, go and get a good night's sleep. You are to report here exactly at the time I have told you," he said. Ashlinn nodded and practically skipped towards the door. But before she stepped out she looked back.

"Professor?" He sighed.

"Yes, Miss Potter?"

"Thank you," she said before leaving.

XXXXX

As Snape slept that night, he had the same dream he had been having for years. Nothing happened but a picture of Lily's face, laughing, smiling, and calling him by his nickname, Sev. His eyes shot open and he felt wetness on his cheeks. Oh, how he missed Lily Evans.

XXXXX

Ashlinn woke up at 5:30 the next morning and immediately sprang out of bed, though quietly, as to not wake the other girls that were still at Hogwarts for Christmas. She opened her trunk and pulled out a honey brown sweater and some navy blue jeans. She tucked her wand in her pocket and grabbed her book bag. As she climbed out of the portrait hole she twisted her long hair in a loose bun secured with a clip. She walked to the dungeons as fast as she could and made it just on time. At precisely 6:00 she knocked on the door.

"Enter", Snape said from within. Ashlinn opened the door and stepped in, finding that Snape had laid out a large cauldron and some of the basic ingredients for every potion. He was leaning against his desk with his arms crossed. He had forgone his trademark billowing robes for the same frock coat that he had worn while demonstrating a duel with Gilderoy Lockhart (and thoroughly kicking his conceited arse across the platform) in second year. All in all, Snape looked more casual than Ashlinn could ever have imagined.

"Well, I see that you are on time," he said as he stood up straight and walked over to the cauldron, motioning with his hand for her to go too, "I have all the basic ingredients, but you will need to find the specific ingredients in the student supply room. If it happens that you can not find what you need in there, tell me and we can look in my stores," he said as he made a small gesture to a door in the back of the room, "We will have to eat meals here." Ashlinn nodded and found a space to put her book bag so it would be out of the way.

"I really do appreciate this, sir," she said. Snape grunted.

"I am merely doing this because I find the holidays lacking of anything to do, Miss Potter," he said as he busied himself with making sure the cauldron had no dust that might cause an explosion. Ashlinn did not pay mind to his comment. Six years of being at Hogwarts had taught her that that was as close as Snape would come to saying, "Your welcome." She went to the student storerooms to look for the crushed unicorn hoof trimmings (from a unicorn that had been discovered dead due to natural causes, of course), frog eyes, sloth fur, and lacewing flies. The only ingredient missing from the student storerooms was rose petals, as Snape's assigned potions did not require them at any time. She stepped out of the storerooms and laid the ingredients out on the table where Snape had been waiting.

"Did you find all of the ingredients, Miss Potter?" he asked.

"Most of them, sir. The only ingredient left is rose petals," she replied. Snape nodded and waved his hand toward his personal storeroom. Ashlinn heard a click come from the door.

"You may look in there," he said, "I believe they are stored on the third shelf, you may need to use the ladder." Ashlinn nodded and mumbled a quick thank you before walking into the much smaller storeroom. Snape had been right about the location of the petals, and the fact that she had to use the ladder to get to them. She rushed back out with the petals to find Snape, once again, leaning against his desk. But this time he was looking at a piece of parchment. From Ashlinn's point of view she could see something in the parchment move, and that let her know that it was a picture, though she could not see the small details. She walked to the cauldron and placed the petals next to the other ingredients, and looked up to see Snape hurriedly tucking the picture into a drawer in his desk.

They barely spoke as they made the potion, except for the occasional "This is the next ingredient" or "Remember to keep count of how many times you stir it, Miss Potter" from Snape. When breakfast time had approached, Winkie had brought Ashlinn some scrambled eggs and sausage while Snape a simple piece of toast. Ashlinn knew better than to ask the reason he had such a measly breakfast, knowing that he did not like personal questions. That intelligence brought a question to her mind while she stirred the potion after her meal: Why would Snape have told her anything about his years at Hogwarts? She already knew from Occlumency lessons in fifth year that he had not been the most popular boy in school, and Lily had defended him against James' onslaught, but she had assumed that he had not known her at all and she was, in his eyes, just another person who happened to have been nice. But she simply assumed in her mind that it was because she had already seen that bit of his memory, and concentrated on stirring the potion.

XXXXX

Snape rested his hand on the table as he watched Ashlinn stir the potion. She was extraordinary when it came to potions. He thought back five years ago, when she and Hermione Granger were the only two students who seemed to have looked at the instructions on the board and brewed the best potions in the class. Granger's had been almost perfect, but being the perfectionist that Snape was, he noticed that it was a small bit lighter in color than it should have been, probably the results of other students distracting her as they tried to copy her work. He had marked a point off, leaving a grumbling Hermione Granger walking out of the door at the end of the class where he handed out the grades of their first assignment. Ashlinn's, however, had been perfect to every point. She had been the only student to receive full marks on the potion. Even with the way he nitpicked at every little detail of Gryffindor potions to find something wrong, hers had been correct down to the last drop.

Now, as Snape watched Ashlinn brew the Relaxation Aid, something in his mind seemed to spark. Now, he remembered Lily, who had Double Potions with him back when he was in Hogwarts. She had been just as perfect with…everything. He remembered stealing small glances in her direction as he stirred his potion. He remembered Lily concentrating intensely on her potion, how her tongue would peep out ever so slightly from within her pink lips as she measured ingredients very precisely. He remembered Slughorn paying slightly more attention to her than the rest of the students. He hadn't missed the looks that crossed Slughorn's eyes when he looked at Lily. And Snape had most definitely not missed the fact that Slughorn's eyes were not looking at Lily's face as she got older.

Now, Snape looked at Ashlinn, and saw that young girl that he stole glances at in his own school years. Her mesmerizing green eyes shimmered as she brewed. She concentrated on her brewing as if it would save her life. She even had the same habit of poking her tongue out from between the same pink lips, which had made Snape want to capture those lips with his own back in his years at this school. He thought of Slughorn. If that bastard looked at her the same way he had looked at Lily, Snape would kill him with his bare hands. Snape sighed silently as he looked at Ashlinn. The brown/red hair that had escaped from the confines of the clip hung in her face. The honey brown sweater she wore seemed to bring out her eyes a little more. And her face was slightly red from the light heat that emitted from the potion. All in all she looked beautiful. Even her name, Ashlinn, was beautiful as he thought it in his head. And a sudden vision of himself, standing close to her, stroking her hair and losing himself in those eyes, crept into his head. Snape quickly snapped out of his thoughts.

"Gods, man! You're her Professor! What is wrong with your mind?" Snape's conscience scolded. Snape gave himself a pinch on the arm and concentrated on the potion, rather than Ashlinn.

XXXXX

Time passed quickly as Ashlinn brewed the potion. Before she knew it, lunch had arrived, then dinner.

"I believe it is time that I take over, Miss Potter," said Snape, "You should go get some sleep. Come back here at the same time tomorrow morning." Ashlinn nodded and gave the potion the last stir it needed before it had to simmer for a while. Then, she handed the spoon to Snape and picked up her book bag as she walked out of the room.

XXXXX

"No…No…"

"I wouldn't struggle if I were you Miss Potter".

"No…Stop!"

But no, he wouldn't stop. Every night she would beg him for mercy, but none came. Just those hands…those fat, filthy, _perverted_ hands…

Ashlinn woke with a start. She sighed when she remembered the dream that she had been having for the past week. She knew who's hands those were, and she hated the dream with a passion.

"Just once," Ashlinn thought, "I'd like to give Voldemort and touchy fingers a rest and have a dream about unicorns and puppies."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Author's Note:** Please Review ;) Like I said, I'll try to update more, but I'm focused more on my original works.

See ya'll later ;)

-MysticMajesties01


	2. Second Day

The next day had a lot less tension in it. Ashlinn and Snape had chatted a little bit as she brewed, and while the potion simmered and she rested, they told some jokes, had debates over which Honeydukes candy was the best (Ashlinn had no idea that Snape liked sweets at all), and talked about potions and their effects. Somewhere, in these "battles", the bitter Bat of the Dungeons lightened up a little. He seemed to really enjoy making potions. Finally, while the potion simmered once more, Ashlinn gathered up the courage to ask the question that she had wondered about since the beginning of that day.

"Sir." Snape looked up from the book he had been reading.

"I was wondering, why did you prefer being the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher instead of the Potions Master? You seem to like brewing potions a lot." Snape closed his book, took off his reading glasses (Ashlinn had been surprised to learn that he had reading glasses.), and spoke.

"I am afraid that is a long and complicated story, Miss Potter. But I do admit that there are times when I miss teaching Potions. Though your brother seems to do quite well without me as a teacher," he said, a sneer forming on his face. Ashlinn raised her eyebrows.

"You think _Slughorn _taught him how to brew like that?" she said. Snape raised an eyebrow.

"_Professor_ Slughorn, Miss Potter. And of course I do, unless you or Miss Granger suddenly has acquired a teaching license in Potions, who else would have taught him?"

"It was a spare book that he's been using since he didn't buy his own," Ashlinn said matter-of-factly, "It's filled with notes and some of the directions are crossed out and replaced with new ones," she said. Snape seemed to pay closer attention to her words than normal.

"And did this book have a name written on it?" he asked. Ashlinn wondered why he was suddenly so curious, but she answered his question anyway.

"Well, it isn't a name exactly, more of a title. It says on the front cover: This book is the soul property of the Half Blood Prince, or something like that. I can't remember off the top of my head what it said word for word," she said. Snape leaned back in his chair.

"I see," he said simply. Then he looked at the potion.

"Isn't time to add the dragon blood, Miss Potter?" he said, gesturing at the bubbling potion. Ashlinn stood up and measured the dragon's blood exactly to the right amount ad Snape replaced his glasses and went back to his book.

XXXXX

Snape was shocked to hear the title he had made for himself spoken after all of these years. Of all of his titles: "Professor" (Ob-vious-ly), "Bat of the Dungeons", and more common from Gryffindors: "Greasy Git", he had never thought that "Half Blood Prince" would come back to haunt him.

He thought back to those horrid times when he saw his mother being beaten by Tobias Snape as he screamed at her, calling her names like "freak", "whore", and "worthless piece of shit". He remembered how he could do nothing but cry in a corner. And he remembered the time he was summoned to the Headmaster's office, only to hear his mum had been beaten to death over the school year, Lily would let him cry on her shoulder despite the fact that she was still mad about the "Mudblood" incident, and he came up with the title to honor her.

The name "Half Blood Prince" had two meanings. "Half Blood" had obviously come because of his blood status, his father being a muggle and his mom a witch. She had told him to treasure his blood status more than anything else he possessed in the wizard world. And the name "Prince" had come from the name "Eileen Prince", his mother's maiden name.

As years passed he had shed the title, though he never forgot his mother, and moved on with his life. Never had he expected his book to end up in the spare books pile in Slughorn's classroom, and Harry Potter to pick it up. Snape let another silent sigh emit from him. Suddenly, he heard Ashlinn speak.

"Are you alright, Professor?" Once again, he looked up from the book he had been "reading". He raised his eyebrow.

"What exactly do you mean, Miss Potter?"

"You seem…depressed, since I mentioned that book." Damn those eyes. They could observe anything from a rainbow colored penguin to a slightly smaller than normal speck of sand in a beach. Definitely Lily's eyes. He shook his head at her comment. He was, indeed, depressed when he thought of his mother, but no way in hell would he tell even Ashlinn that he was the Half Blood Prince, and that he was thinking of his mother.

"I am not depressed, Miss Potter. Just deep in thought." Ashlinn nodded and bit her lip, as if debating whether or not she should say something. Finally she decided to say whatever he had been holding back.

"Well, if there is something that's bothering you, Professor, I'm here." she said quietly.

XXXXX

She hadn't known whether or not she wanted to say it at first. But she knew it was possible to be friends with a teacher as well as a student. To her great surprise, Snape smiled. Not a smirk, not a small twitch of the lips, but a smile. A gentle smile that seemed to light up his whole face, even his black eyes twinkled. She returned the favor.

"Thank you, Miss Potter", he said, his voice softer than Ashlinn had ever heard it. She was shocked at first. Had she been hearing things? Did she just go mad? Or did Professor Snape, of all people, say thank you? She quickly recovered from her shock and smiled again.

"No problem, sir."

Ashlinn went back to stirring the potion, her heart beating with some sort of relief that she had bucked up and asked the questions. She snuck a glance back up at Professor Snape, who had resumed his reading. Snape's face looked relaxed, like he had naught a care in the world but enjoying whatever book he was reading. Ashlinn had never seen him so content before. Usually Snape looked angry or frustrated. But now he looked almost handsome. Ashlinn watched as a flicker of emotin crossed Snape's eyes as he read. It was a flicker of love and passion. For a moment, a thought crossed Ashlinn's mind wishing that Snape would look at her like that. Ashlinn blinked and forced herself to look back at the potion.

"I must be going crazy to think like that," she thought.

XXXXX

So they're friends now, but is Ashlinn developing feelings for her Potions master? What will happen in Chapter 3? Suspense! *dun dun dun*

See y'all later ;D

MM


	3. Third Day

AN: Okay, so I made the mistake of deleting the third day to my one shot version, so yay! Rewriting time! (sarcasm to the XTREME) uggggghhh. Oh well, It needed rewriting anyway, since I'm taking out the sex and saving it for later. So yeah. New third day.

P.S. Omg I cant believe I forgot the disclaimer in the first two chapters! I'm sorry J.K. Rowling don't sue me! I don't own Harry Potter! *hides in shame*

XXXXX

"_Sir, the potion is ready," said Ashlinn, putting down the spoon. Snape came over and looked at the potion. _

"_It's perfect, Miss Potter," he said to Ashlinn's delight._

"_Thank you sir," she said with a smile as she turned to bottle the potion, but she felt a hand on her shoulder._

"_It's perfect, Miss Potter…Just like you," Snape said in a purring voice as looked directly in Ashlinn's eyes._

"_Sir?" Ashlinn croaked. Snape chuckled._

"_I do believe you heard me loud and clear, Miss Potter," he said as he swooped in for a kiss…_

Ashlinn shot out of bed, sweat pouring down her back. She checked her clock and saw that she didn't have to get up for another hour. She sighed and laid back down, the visions of her dream still going through her head. Ashlinn turned to her side and tried to focus on the image of the snow outside the dormitory window to lull her back to sleep, but in her head, two little voices were screaming.

"_Calm down. It was just a dream. It's not like you actually feel that way, Ashlinn." _

"_But, what if I do? He's just so…handsome."_

"_Do you need to go get your head checked at the Hospital Wing? He's SNAPE, for Merlin's sake!" _

"_I know, but he can be alright. It's not like he's evil. He's just a little misunderstood."_

"_Oh God…you had better not have a crush on him!"_

"_I DO NOT...well, maybe a little…"_

"_I don't believe this! You have a crush on Snape!"_

"_Oh dear…I really do don't I?"_

"_He's your professor!"_

"_I know! But, he's just so nice and handsome and-"_

"_Ok I get it. Screw it! I give up! You win."_

Ashlinn's eyes widened at her sudden realization. She had a crush. On SNAPE. So many things were wrong about this, but Ashlinn couldn't help it. She didn't know exactly what had caused her crush. Maybe it was Snape's mysteriousness, or maybe it was that smile that he had given her the night before, which made him look so relaxed. Maybe it was his voice. It was so deep and entrancing. Ashlinn would have loved to hear him read Shakespeare aloud. She could have listened to that all day. Ashlinn tried to shake her thoughts and focus on getting one last hour of sleep. Finally, after great mental effort, she succeeded in her task.

XXXXX

Snape sat at the table and stirred the potion absentmindedly. His thoughts kept travelling to Miss Potter. He thought about her laugh, her smile, her eyes, and the fleeting thought that had crossed his mind that first day that the two had started working on the potion. From that day, Snape hadn't been able to completely prevent that thought from entering his mind now and again, but the thought was very persistent. Snape had tried to brush it off, but lately he had been wondering why he even had the thought in the first place. It had to have been his mind just wandering, but Snape was beginning to think that there was something more to it than that. He had found himself thinking about Miss Potter quite a lot lately. In fact, just the day before, he had even broken his emotional walls down and smiled at her. Ever since Lily died, he had never smiled truly at anyone. It was as if Miss Potter had brought out a happiness in him that had been hidden for years. Snape smiled at the memory of her face lighting up at his consent to help her. He shook himself. He shouldn't be thinking this way about his student! But the thoughts of Ashlinn kept coming to his mind.

"Oh dear," Snape said aloud, dropping his spoon on the table as he came to the realization, "I have feelings for my student!"

XXXXX

When Ashlinn awoke again, it was 5:30. She only had a half an hour to be at Professor Snape's office! Ashlinn darted out of bed and threw on a snug red sweater with blue jeans. She grabbed her bag and darted out of the dormitories. Ashlinn ran down the stairs two at a time and rushed out of the Common Room, ignoring the Fat Lady's rant about how she was almost ripped out of the wall. As Ashlinn was dashing down the stairs to the dungeon, a rough stone caught her foot and she felt the feeling of falling. Just as Ashlinn was sure that she would be spending Christmas in the Hospital Wing, a pair of rather strong arms caught her and her face slammed into a hard surface.

"Miss Potter, do try to be more careful. Those stairs have caused many serious injuries in the past." Ashlinn tensed up at the sound of the familiar voice. She looked up to find that Snape was looking at her with a concerned face. With horror, Ashlinn also realized that she had fallen into Snape's arms, and her face had landed right in his chest. Feeling herself turn red, Ashlinn quickly pulled away, clearing her throat.

"Um…thanks…for catching me," she stammered, suddenly remembering the dream she had that morning. Snape nodded and turned towards his classroom. Ashlinn suddenly remembered the potion.

"The potion is currently simmering, Miss Potter," Snape said, as if he had read her mind. Judging by the sudden tingling feeling in her head, he had. Ashlinn quickly pushed Snape out of her mind and put up her mental walls before he uncovered a certain dream. Snape chuckled.

"Your Occlumency skills are as extraordinary as ever, Miss Potter. But really, I was only trying to see if you had injured your head at all," he said.

"You can never be too safe, Professor," Ashlinn said, smiling. Snape smirked and opened the door to his classroom for Ashlinn. She smiled graciously and headed towards the potion, tying her hair in a bun.

XXXXX

Snape watched as Miss Potter tied her hair up. He longed to take the restraint out of her hair and watch the soft locks fall back down over her shoulders, but he restrained himself by sitting down at a nearby table. He observed as goosebumps rose on the nape of her neck as the cold dungeon air hit her skin and he took a deep breath. All he needed to do was get through that last day. Just one last day and he would have a chance to forget his thoughts about Miss Potter. Snape's thoughts wandered to his little exploration of her mind. He had told her that he was looking to see if she had injured her head, but he was really looking for anything portraying to him. He had seen something earlier, but it was just a blur. There was a distant echo of a human voice, but then Ashlinn had pulled him out of her mind. Snape wondered if he could sneak another peek at that image if he was disreet. Deciding to risk it, Snape made his mental self very small so that Miss Potter would not have noticed him as she concentrated on the potion. Snape entered her mind and found himself walking down a "road" lined with memories and dreams. After a minute, he saw the image from earlier down the pathway. Snape hurried to the image to get a closer look. When he came up to the image, he saw Miss Potter standing at the potion.

"Sir, the potion is ready," Ashlinn said. Snape saw himself come into the frame and look into the cauldron.

"It's perfect, Miss Potter," Snape's dream-self said. Ashlinn's dream-self thanked him and turned to grab a vial. But Dream Snape stopped her.

"It's perfect, Miss Potter…just like you," he said. Dream Ashlinn looked shocked.

"Sir?" she said. Dream Snape smirked.

"I do believe you heard me loud and clear, Miss Potter," he said. What happened next shocked Snape. His dream self had swooped in for a kiss, and just as the two Dream beings' lips met, the dream faded to black. Snape looked down the wall of memories and saw that most of them consisted of thoughts about the dream and Ashlinn's mental battle afterwards. Snape was about to pull himself out of her mind when one sentence blared out from the wall of memories.

"I'm in love with Severus Snape!"

Snape pulled himself out, thankfully without Miss Potter's notice, and sat back on the chair. So, Miss Potter had feelings for him as well. Snape was not sure how to register this in his mind. No one, not even Lily, had returned romantic feelings that he had felt. No one had ever loved him. Snape had even gone so far as to believe no one ever would. It was simply impossible. But Miss Potter had proven that wrong. She returned his feelings, even if she didn't know about his feelings towards her. Snape looked at MISS Potter…no…he looked at _Ashlinn_ and sighed. There was no denying, he had fallen in love with Ashlinn Lily Potter.

XXXXX

Ashlinn stirred the potion until it turned the shade of royal blue that told her that it was finished. She sighed in relief and stretched her arms. After three long days, the potion was complete.

"It's ready, sir," she said. Snape looked as if he snapped out of a trance. He nodded. Ashlinn sighed and went over to sit next to him by the table. She had felt Snape poking around her mind, but she had pretended not to notice. After a small mental battle, she decided to talk to Snape about the dream, seeing as he had already seen it. Ashlinn sat next to Snape at the table.

"Sir, I need to tell you something," she said. Snape seemed to hold his breath before answering.

"And…what might that be, Miss Potter?" he asked. Ashlinn took a deep breath.

"I know you were poking around my thoughts just a few minutes ago," she blurted. Snape seemed speechless.

"And I know you saw that dream," Ashlinn added, looking down. Snape sighed and nodded.

"Yes, Ashlinn," he said, daring to use her first name, "I saw the dream and heard your…realization." Ashlinn nodded, tears starting to form on the corners of her eyes. Suddenly, she looked directly at him with a pleading look.

"Just…please don't hate me," she said, on the verge of tears.

"Ashlinn-," Snape started.

"I'm sorry," Ashlinn continued, "It just sort of…happened." The tears were starting to roll down her cheeks now. She looked down, but Snape caught her chin.

"Ashlinn, please let me speak," he said, "I have a confession to make." Ashlinn looked up and saw that Snape's face was serious, but caring. Snape continued to speak.

"Over the past few days," he said, "I have had some realizations of my own. Ashlinn, you are a loving and caring young woman with a strong heart and a brave soul. I have seen your brilliance and your kindness. I have even let my own walls fall to your compassion and…well…I fell in love with it. No…I fell in love with _you_. Ashlinn, I'm in love with you."

Ashlinn looked into Snape's eyes. They were brimming with compassion and love. Ashlinn couldn't hold herself anymore. She hugged Snape with all her might. Snape froze for but a moment, but he soon embraced Ashlinn as well, burying his nose in her hair.

"I was so afraid you would hate me," she whispered.

"No Ashlinn, I could never hate you," Snape said. Ashlinn pulled away and looked at Snape. He looked more content than she had ever seen him. Before she could stop herself, Ashlinn leaned closer to Snape. But Snape put a hand to her lips just as she was inches away.

"Are you sure about this?" Snape whispered.

"Yes, Professor, I am absolutely sure," Ashlinn mumbled against Snape's hand as she fixed him with a sure stare. Snape smiled before removing his hand and leaning closer. Their foreheads were touching now.

"Call me Severus," Snape whispered. Ashlinn smiled.

"Will you just kiss me, _Severus_?" she teased. Severus smiled and closed the gap in between them. It was a slow, gentle, and loving kiss. Ashlinn felt a fire in her heart that she had never felt before at the feeling of Severus's lips on hers. He put a hand on the small of her back and pulled her close to him. Ashlinn wrapped a hand around the back of his neck, never wanting to break from him. Severus slipped his tongue inside of her mouth and explored every inch. Ashlinn responded to this action by catching his bottom lip with her teeth and sucking on it gently. Severus leaned into the kiss further and pulled Ashlinn as close as he could. Finally, when the two needed to breathe, they broke apart. Ashlinn smiled and nuzzled Severus's neck.

"I love you, Severus Snape," she said.

"And I love you, Ashlinn Potter," Snape replied.

XXXXX

After they broke apart, Severus marveled at the sight of Ashlinn's swollen lips. Ashlinn smiled at him and nuzzled his neck.

"I love you, Severus Snape," Ashlinn said. Snape felt a warm feeling rush through him at the words.

"And I love you, Ashlinn Potter," he said. Having Ashlinn next to him just felt so…right, despite what others might have said. He loved her, and there was no denying it.

XXXXX

**AN: **Yay! Romance! I hope you guys enjoyed the scene as much as I enjoyed writing it. I decided to replace the original smut scene with some good old fluffiness. Aren't they just so cute? :3 Anyway…please R&R! I highly appreciate feedback.

See y'all later!

-MysticMajesties01


End file.
